This invention concerns an apparatus for selectively connecting any one of a plurality of inlet pipes to any one of a plurality of outlet pipes. It is directed in particular, but not exclusively, to the circulation of petroleum products.
In multiline fluid distribution installations the requirement routinely arises of being able to connect any one of several inlet lines to any one of several outlet lines with the number of inlet and outlet lines possibly being large, for example in the order of 15 or even more.
It has already been envisaged to dispose the inlet lines and the outlet lines in parallel planes and in two directions perpendicular to these planes and to provide the end of each line with a telescopic ferrule adapted to be extended parallel to these planes into contact with the telescopic ferrule of any one of the lines of the other kind. This has various disadvantages, however.
The use of telescopic ferrules leads to problems with sealing, guiding and mechanical stresses which in practice limit the application of this solution to small numbers of inlet and outlet lines. Furthermore, the telescopic ferrule solution is ill suited to automation.
Also, and more importantly, the use of telescopic sections necessarily implies a variation in inside diameter which results in significant local deterioration of the effectiveness of scraping clean the walls of an inlet and an outlet line temporarily connected to distribute a liquid, and to remove any traces of this liquid likely to contaminate another liquid that might then flow in one or other of these lines.